RADIO
The RotoBaller Soccer staff gathers around the penalty box for their weekly FPL roundtable discussion. This week, the team discusses the main questions surrounding Gameweek 30 of the 2021-22 Fantasy Premier League season.
Welcome to Gameweek 30, Rotoballers! This season, we are expanding our soccer coverage to include the great game of Fantasy Premier League. So, if you are a seasoned veteran, or a rookie navigating your first campaign, we will set you right as we look to acquire those weekend-making green arrows and avoid the doom and gloom of a red arrow.
Thanks to six Premier League teams still participating in the FA Cup, there are only four games on the FPL schedule for Gameweek 30. It all kicks off at 4 pm Eastern on Friday, Mar. 18, as Wolves welcome a relegation-battling Leeds United team. That means our lineups lock at 2:30 pm Eastern and then we watch four Premier League contests from Friday-Sunday. On Saturday, Aston Villa-Arsenal is an early kickoff before Leicester-Brentford, and Tottenham-West Ham ends the weekend with a Sunday doubleheader.
Also, check out the rest of our excellent soccer coverage as the team gets you all set for every English Premier League and UEFA Champions League slate from a DFS perspective.
RotoBaller FPL Staff Roundtable - Gameweek 30
The Staff Roundtable is an attempt to get you inside the mind of our FPL staff. Our top soccer writers - Euan Leith, Jamie Steed, Brandon Wampler, and Phil Goyette - will answer questions each Gameweek to give you an idea of how they view the games. So without further ado, let's kick off Gameweek 30!
There are only four games on the schedule for Gameweek 30. So are you tempted to Free Hit or take multiple hits to field an entire squad?
- Euan Leith: Short answer: no. I only have one Free Hit chip remaining (my final chip of the season, too), and I want to save it for a higher upside gameweek than 29. I'm not in love with any of the fixtures.
- Jamie Steed: I didn't want to use the Free Hit, but I have three players with a game this weekend, so feel compelled to. No single match really stands out, so I might just stack a couple of defenses and a couple of attacking groups and hope for the best.
- Brandon Wampler: I will ride out this week with what I have at my disposal.
Suppose you were using the Free Hit chip. What two teams would you load up on?
- Euan Leith: It has to be Tottenham and Arsenal for me. Their assets are firing on all cylinders, and they have some great value options. Harry Kane, Son Heung-Min, Matt Doherty, or Dejan Tulusevski make perfect sense as a Spurs triple-up. Meanwhile, the other team in North London, Arsenal, has Buyako Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Alexander Lacazette, Aaron Ramsdale, and two or three defensive options to pick from.
- Jamie Steed: Defensively, I'd look at Wolves for clean sheets. Leicester is viable, but I just don't trust them defensively even at home to Brentford. Attack-wise, Arsenal looks like the best option with their exciting young attacking group.
- Brandon Wampler: I would load up on Aston Villa and Leicester. Leicester everyone will be on, and Aston Villa will get less ownership.
Everton and Leicester City have four and three games left to reschedule. Who is one player from each team you would target for your FPL team for the remainder of the season?
- Euan Leith: As a Liverpool fan, it's painful to recommend any Everton player. However, midfielder Anthony Gordon is one of the few bright spots under Frank Lampard's stewardship and seems nailed in that starting lineup. For the Foxes, I am already looking to get James Maddison into my team after Gameweek 30. He is very creative, and I think he can make a real difference for FPL managers during Leicester's final 10 games.
- Jamie Steed: From Everton, Anthony Gordon is a decent money-saving option, although Richarlison should be a better contributor. For Leicester, until Jamie Vardy returns from injury, Harvey Barnes is my preferred play, just ahead of James Maddison and Youri Tielemans.
- Brandon Wampler: Definitely Gordon and Tielemans. Gordon has come alive this season as an impact player on sets, and Tielemans offers a good performance every week whether Maddison is in or not.
Who's keeping a clean sheet this week?
- Euan Leith: It wouldn't surprise me to see every team concede a goal this weekend, but I'll be boring and say Aaron Ramsdale. I trust that backline to stop Aston Villa, even on the road.
- Jamie Steed: I'll stick with Wolves again as although Leeds United looked better last week with Patrick Bamford up front again, Wolves are a considerably better defensive side than the Norwich City one Leeds faced last time out.
- Brandon Wampler: I think the Spurs has what it takes out of the other clubs scheduled.
Which defensive player is providing an attacking return?
- Euan Leith: Matt Doherty will reward his many manager's faith by picking up the slack from a returnless trip to Old Trafford. West Ham isn't as solid as we once thought, and Conte is lethally utilizing his wingbacks.
- Jamie Steed: Arsenal once again showed Leicester City's vulnerability from set-pieces, so with so few clear-cut options, I'd gamble on a Brentford defender to find the net. Pontus Jansson would be my bet. Kieran Tierney looked more like his old self against Leicester, so I'd back him to keep his form moving in the right direction also.
- Brandon Wampler: Aston Villa's Lucas Digne will be massively rostered this weekend.
- Euan Leith: Yer a wizard, Harry. Kane is peaking during one of the most critical stretches of the season. So it's really between him, Son, and Lacazette for expensive options this week. I'll pick the guy with seven attacking returns in his previous five matches.
- Jamie Steed: There aren't many playing, so I'll back Harry Kane to keep his recent form going at home to West Ham United.
- Brandon Wampler: Philippe Coutinho is written on every wall I see.
What are your transfer plans heading into this Gameweek?
- Euan Leith: I am forcing myself to roll the transfer. I don't think there's a difference-maker available worth a swap. I'm happy only fielding eight guys if it means I have two FTs for Gameweek 31.
- Jamie Steed: As I'm more than likely to use my Free Hit, I'll hold on to my transfer and give myself more options for the following week.
- Brandon Wampler: Ride and die with the current squad while making my free adjustment after the break.
Who's getting the Captain's armband?
- Euan Leith: Harry Kane is involved in everything Tottenham does at the moment. I expect him to be the most-highly captained player in the game.
- Jamie Steed: Depending who I bring in from the Free Hit, but it'll wind up on either Kane, Heung-Min Son, or one of the Arsenal attackers I'll be rostering.
- Brandon Wampler: Raul Jimenez from Wolves.
Finally, what's your bold prediction for this week?
- Euan Leith: For the first time in the 2021-22 Fantasy Premier League season, Raphinha scores at least 10 points.
- Jamie Steed: Brentford's Sergi Canos gets double-digit points in helping Brentford take something from their game at Leicester.
- Brandon Wampler: Aston Villa beats Arsenal 2-1.
Is there a question you would like to have answered every week? Hit us up on Twitter @RotoBaller. We would love to hear your feedback and ideas!
